HAITI GOAT DAIRY PROJECT
The Farm House Natural Cheeses and the Amrein-Boyes Family are excited to announce the building of a small Goat Dairy and Cheesemaking facility in Haiti.
Background: some years ago, Debra's Aunt Claire adopted a young Haitian boy who at the age of 5 had been given away as a slave by his voodoo priest father. 6 years later, his older brother found him, and brought him to a children's home where Aunt Claire met him and began actively supporting him.
Marc spent the next few years there, going to school for the first time (at age 12!). Aunt Claire supported him through school and Bible College, and now Marc and his American wife Lisa have gone back to Haiti to start a work to benefit the people of this devastated country.
Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere, with a life expectancy of 44 years, unemployment 70%. Less than 1% of Haitians has a post secondary education, and the literacy rate is 35%. Since 2003 Marc and Lisa have started a Bible training school, a thriving church and begun classes in the new Technical School, offering training in textiles, ESL, carpentry, music, mechanics and agriculture.
While visiting our farm, Lisa expressed the need for healthy food for themselves and the people who live and work at the compound. The idea to start a Goat Dairy was born.
The plan is that we will provide healthy breeding stock-goats suited to the climate of Haiti; design and build pens, milking stand, and a small cheesemaking facility. The goats will then provide milk for the families there, plus cheese can be made for their own use and to sell to support the work. Additionally, local people will be able to bring their own milk to have processed into cheese for their own families. Everybody wins. Also, we will be bringing a young Haitian man here to live and work on the farm to learn goat husbandry and farming techniques to take back with him to Haiti.
Our short term goal is to provide Marc with money to buy an adjacent 2 acre piece of land for the project. This will cost $9000. CDN, as Marc put a down payment on this land a few years ago, believing it would one day be needed for their work! The property is perfect for this purpose, as it is rich and grassy, and has a natural spring of fresh water.
The next step is the actual building of a small living and milking facility for approximately 10 goats. Adjacent to this will be the cheesemaking facility. We are planning a facility that can make use of the natural resources, and use as little electricity as possible.
How can you help? We need MONEY for the purchase of the land, and the building of the facility. The initial cost of the land is $9000. CDN and Marc estimates the total cost to be around $20,000. CDN.
Any money you want to donate can be sent by cheque to The Farm House Natural Cheeses, 5634 McCallum Road Agassiz BC, V0M 1A1.Make the cheques out to Haiti Arise. Your donation is tax deductible, you will receive a tax receipt.
For more info on Marc and Lisa and their work, go to www.haitiarise.org |
